


Vanko will make you bleed

by Heyokaooohshiny



Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, BAMF JARVIS, Darcy Lewis is Tony Stark's Daughter, F/M, Future pairing but my muse won't tell me what it is yet, Ivan Vanko is going to burn you, Kidnapping, Snark, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-01-23 22:58:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1582487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heyokaooohshiny/pseuds/Heyokaooohshiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Darcy wanted to do was feed some hungry Avengers but some schmuck with a Russian accent and a cheesy grill seems to think she has something to offer. Well it obviously wasn't the pie. Will the others find her before he either figures out he's got the wrong girl or she finds out the hard way that being in the shadow of earth's mightiest heroes has its own consequences?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She cursed the sound of her phone ringing. Standing precariously, Darcy juggled the stack of boxes she held in her arms while digging ferociously in her pocket for the origin of Belinda Carlisle’s “Summer Rain”.  

_‘Oh my love, it's you and that I dream of_

_Oh my love, since that day_

_Somewhere in my heart I'm alwa-’_

“You’re an asshole,” she answered the phone. She could feel the flush of embarrassment climbing up the back of her neck. It was a good thing none of the others were around to see her. Damn Clint and his Hawk-y eyes. She did not need any romantic reminders of soldiers. Nope. None at all.

“Aw. I’m hurt,” came Clint’s familiar nasal tone. “That’s a 90’s classic.”

“You’re a ninety’s classic,” Darcy shot back. “How’d you tamper with my phone?”

“I never give away my secrets.”

Darcy wrinkled her nose in exasperation. “I’m going to have to superglue the air duct closed in my apartment aren’t I? Again.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

There was distinct background noise on Clint’s end. Darcy rolled her eyes and carefully shifted the boxes in her arms, they were getting heavy. “Look I know Tony’s getting squirly for his pie so tell him not to get his iron panties in a knot, Sunday dessert is on its way.”

There was an affronted squawk from the aforementioned. Clint chuckled. “So where are you now?”

Darcy tried to peer over the stack of cardboard to get her bearings. “Jeez I’m closer than I thought, I’m only—oof!!”

She was slammed into from the side. She watched her pie boxes skid and spill across the sidewalk. Her fury was almost secondary to the pain exploding from her hip as a heavy male body pinned her to the ground.

“Hey fucker! You’re gonna pay for those!” Her indignant cry echoed loudly in the street.

Before she could even lift her eyes to see who the clumsy asshole was, Darcy felt a sharp pinch in her neck. The look she finally shot the hulking tattooed figure leaning over her was one of clearing understanding but it was too late. Her hand brushed the pocket Mr. Shoky was in but she was unconscious before she could complete the action.  

“Shh _dóchka_ ,” Ivan crooned as he lowered her unconscious form to the ground. “I’ll just talk to your friends; tell them you’re in good . . . hands.” His lips quirked up at his own joke. He easily pried Darcy’s phone from her limp fingers and lifted it to his ears. He was pleased to hear chaos on the other end of the line.

“Darce--?! Darcy?! What’s going on? Why won’t you answer me dammit?!”

_“I’ll get a lead on her; she said she was close--!”_

“Don’t worry Stark,” Ivan interrupted them, “I’ll take good care of girl.”

There was silence for a heartbeat and then the voice on the other end said tightly, “You fucking touch her and I’ll _end_ you. Where is sh-” _Ah, ok. Not Stark then. Maybe boyfriend._

The owner of the phone was vetoed off the call and another voice took his place.

“Whatever you want from us, it has nothing to do with Darcy,” Tony Stark said in full negotiation mode, “Tell me what you want and let her go.”

“Actually I come for her, Stark.” Ivan enjoyed the sound of air Tony sucked in as he recognized Ivan’s voice. “Remember I told you not to get too attached to things?” He let out a low chuckle. “Wait for my package.”

He cut off Tony’s protest by dropping the phone to the ground and crushing it under his boot. He didn’t need them using it to track her down before he could get away with her. Ivan bent over and scooped up the young woman’s limp body. It was time to disappear.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************** 

 “Son of a bitch!”

Tony Stark stared at Clint’s phone in disbelief before shouting orders at Jarvis. It was indicative of shock and pretty much everyone left in the common room picked up on it immediately. Steve, Natasha and Bruce were in varying stages of readiness. Clint had already disappeared.

“What is it Stark?” Steve pressed him as they strode to the roof. “Who was it?”

“Ivan Vanko.”

“Vanko?” Natasha said sharply, eyes narrowing. “I thought you killed him at the Expo?!”

“I did!” Tony passed a hand over his face. “Rhodey and I watched him incinerate.”

Steve strapped his shield to his arm. “Could it be a copycat?”

Tony was grim instead of his usual cockiness as he braced his arms and legs for the suit. “No. It was him.”

He finished giving Jarvis instructions to keep Pepper in the tower, with surveillance until further notice, when he flew over the area Darcy’s cell signal had last broadcasted. He could see Clint on the ground already, standing in a circumference of discarded pie boxes. Tony’s throat soured at the thought of that spunky girl in the hands of Vanko.

The archer looked up as Tony made to land but made a sharp gesture, **_keep looking_**. His eyes were unholy with rage.

“Jarvis?”

“Yes, sir?”

“I want all security footage in New York monitored for Ivan Vanko’s scan. Height, weight, tattoo’s, heart rate, everything.”

“Of course, sir.”

******************************************************************************************************************************************************* 

They had nothing and they knew it.

The crew reconvened at the site of Darcy’s kidnapping and somberly summed up the situation.

“He didn’t take public transportation. No cab, no bus, no subway.” Natasha informed them. “There were no reports of stolen vehicles, so he didn’t take that route either.”

“No sign of them in the sewers,” Hawkeye said in a clipped voice.

“Hospitals are clear. None of my contacts have seen anything,” Bruce offered tiredly.

“I checked airspace,” Steve said, his frustration showing on his face, “No sign of him at any of the airports, no unlicensed aircraft, nothing.”

“Guys. We’ll find them.” Tony cut in. “Jarvis didn’t find any sign of big and ugly after he took Ms. Lewis but there were sightings of him prior to. He’s been in the area for a while apparently.”

“He’s still here then,” Clint hazarded a guess.

“Yeah, he loves to gloat.”

Natasha was looking towards the street. “He had to get her out of here fast. He had his own vehicle.” She looked at Tony. “Any camera’s on this street?”

“Yep. And they’ve all mysteriously been pointed to Vino’s Pizzeria as of two hours ago.”

“Fucker!” Clint exploded.

Tony was distracted at the sound of Peppers voice in his ear, “Tony?” She sounded shaken.

“Pep? What’s wrong are you okay?”

“I’m . . . fine. I just. There’s a package here for you.”

Tony went rigid. “Pepper, don’t go near it. Don’t let anyone touch it until I get there. In fact get out of there, get Happy to take you somewhere safe!!”

“T-tony? It’s okay, it’s not going to h-hurt anyone.”

“Pepper!”

“Tony!” She was trying to regain his attention but he was still focused on the thread of hysteria in her voice. “Jarvis checked it, he said it’s safe. There’s no gas in the balloons.”

Tony shook his head sharply. “Balloons?” he said dumbly.

“They’re pink!”

“I believe Ms. Potts is attempting to tell you the message the balloons contained,” Jarvis cut in.

“Tell me the message, Jarvis.” Tony clipped.

“Congratulations on the newest member of the Stark family. It’s a girl!”

“There’s a picture of Darcy,” Pepper sniffled. “And a lock of her hair.”

He happened to be looking at Bruce when the message sank in. It was the unmitigated horror in his eyes that prompted the scientist to offer, “I’ll have a look at it as soon as we get back Tony.”

“Then we have to get back now,” Tony said. “If he thinks Darcy’s my daughter she’s in real danger.”

********************************************************************************************************************************************************

She was disoriented on awakening. Darcy couldn’t figure out why she was sleeping in a chair until she tried to brush the tangle of hair out of her face and couldn’t. Her arms were locked behind her back.

_What the ever loving fuck did I wake up to?_

She tried to look over her shoulder to see what held her in place but froze when movement caught her attention.

A very large man pushed himself off from the wall where he’d been leaning. Darcy’s eyes widened and her breath stuttered in her throat. He _oozed_ threat. He wore a hoody over what looked like a tank top, very worn jeans, army boots and gold rimmed sunglasses. He had the build of a wrestler and as he slowly made his way over to her she couldn’t help comparing his approach to an animalistic prowl.

The hair stood up on the back of her neck.

“If this is about the pies, we can call it evensies?” Darcy offered, grateful that her voice didn’t quaver.

Her kidnapper chuckled darkly.

That made her shiver. She couldn’t help it.

“You have your father’s inappropriate sense of humor.” He stated, his voice rumbled heavy with a Russian accent.

“My . . . my father?” Darcy said in confusion. Then she frowned. “You definitely have the wrong person. I don’t have a father.”

He stopped within her personal space and leaned down. He gave her a smile. A slow spreading smirk really. His gold teeth matched his glasses and she fought back a shudder of horror.

“Let’s just say, I know your pedigree.”

“The fuck?” Darcy retorted. “Who the hell are you?”

“My name is Ivan Vanko.”

His lips quirked bitterly at the blankness in her eyes.

“I have nothing to give you,” Darcy said unequivocally. “I don’t even get paid to do what I do, man. I’m an intern. I make coffee. I go on pie runs.”

Her breath hitched uncomfortably as Vanko plucked the knit cap off her head.

“If you torture me all I’m going to tell you is how people take their coffee,” She lied, her voice strained as his blunt tipped fingers buried themselves into her chestnut hair. He tilted up her head and through the tears she was furiously trying to blink away she could see him studying her.

“You’re going to make this very enjoyable, _dóchka._ ”

She _so_ didn’t like the sound of that.


	2. Chapter 2

Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “The results are back,” He announced gravely.

“Well?” Tony snapped. “Is it true?”

Bruce leaned over to spin his monitor around but Tony had already tapped into his virtual interface to pull the information seemingly from mid-air.

The crew watched silently as a hologram of two brightly lit strands of DNA clearly illuminated his paternity.

“That’s not possible.” Tony balked.

“Statistically, sir,” Jarvis piped up, “According to Ms. Lewis’ birthday it is quite possible. This would place her conception sometime during your college years. According to your records you didn’t always follow your own advice, ‘If you can’t shield your rocket leave it in your--’

“Hey, hey, hey--! We have an audience Jarv! Enough with the TMI!” Tony barked. 

“My apologies sir.”

“So who’s her mother then?” Tony asked, dreading the answer.

A third helix joined the first two along with a profile.

“Dr. Maya Hansen, sir.”

There was a strangled noise from Pepper that Tony was sure he echoed. He was also sure he looked like he felt, like he’d taken a jet propulsion unit to the chest.

He hated to say the words but he had to, “Is Lewis a double agent for Extremis, Jarvis?”

Tony could almost feel the unimpressed glare Clint levelled at him. It was clear the archer felt he would have known if there was something off about the girl.

“Unlikely sir.” Jarvis was pulling records as they watched, faster than they could read. It looked like school records, driver’s license, job applications; Darcy’s whole history. “Ms. Lewis was raised by her maternal grandparents. Last contact with Dr. Hansen was in her formative years.”

There was something bothering Tony. “Wait a sec. You said she was conceived when I was in college. I saw Maya again in ’99 and then again last year. Why didn’t she say anything about . . ?”

He remembered the way Maya had looked at him right before Killian had taken the shot. She’d been trying to save him. In her eyes he’d seen old disappointment, softness, pain and . . . surrender. She’d loved him.

“God dammit,” Tony breathed. Sometimes he really _hated_ how much of a screw-up he was.

Now that night New Year’s Eve ’99 made a whole lot more sense. If Maya had their baby in college and was waiting for the right time to break it to him . . . 

He flashed back to that night. Maya had seemed almost drunk with happiness at the party, her energy had been contagious and they had scienced like mad later that night. It was so easy to fall back into their zone of shared brilliance and sizzling hot sex. He understood how she could have read more into it than he meant her to.  Even though he never made promises, she still might have seen their work together that night as the beginning of a partnership.

But then he was gone the next morning with nothing but a few lines of formula and she turned her genius over to Killian Aldrich instead.

“Oh Tony,” Pepper choked.

He realized he must have voiced some of his thoughts out loud and winced.

“I should have seen it,” Tony said, comparing pictures of Darcy and Maya. “Lewis is the spitting image of Maya, ‘cept for the blue eyes. Huh, wonder who she got those from.”

“Your mother perhaps, sir. Maria Stark had blue eyes.”

Tony had nothing to say to that but his jaw visibly tightened.

He allowed himself another second of remorse and then wiped everything off his face.

“Okay. So I’m thinking Vanko had help…”

************************************************************************************************************************************ 

After allowing her a brief pee break (which was interesting with no hands btw), she was returned to the chair while Vanko retreated a distance and began fiddling with computer equipment. Darcy had taken the opportunity to look around her prison. It was an open-concept condo, spartan in taste with just the bare minimum of furniture. The massive window far across the room was tightly shielded with blinds that blocked out any view of where he might be keeping her. In her brief march back from the bathroom she had seen the bed that lay situated behind her chair. It made her shoulder blades prickle with foreboding.

She saw no sign of her purse. Or her leather jacket. So Shoky was out of the question, even if she could figure out how to operate the taser with her teeth.

 _Where are you guys?_ Darcy thought desperately. _I’m no Black Widow. She didn’t teach me her chair-fu!_

“We’re ready.”

Vanko straightened up. He removed his glasses and pushed back his hood, revealing his lanky shoulder-length black hair streaked with white.

It was a good thing she went to the bathroom earlier, Darcy realized. Otherwise she might have peed herself at his announcement.

“For what, exactly?” She demanded sharply. “A showdown on Candy Crush? Arm wrestling match--? Cause I gotta tell you I think you have the unfair advantage there—!!”

She _eeped_ as he flicked open a mean looking switchblade.

“Shit!” She exhaled. She looked up into his dead eyes. “You really don’t want to do this big guy.”

“Oh?” Vanko humored her, “Why’s that?”

Darcy bit the inside of her cheeks. _I have friends in high places._ “You might hurt yourself?” She offered.

He chuckled.

The blood drained from Darcy’s face as Vanko placed the edge of the blade against the hem of her black turtleneck. She stared blankly at the equal armed cross he wore; as it dipped closer and closer. She tugged ineffectively at her rope bound wrists.

There was an obscene sound as the material parted under the blade like butter. Darcy froze, her heartbeat hammering in her ears as the sound travelled upwards. She flinched when the tip of the knife passed under her chin. Instantly she felt the burn as it cut her.

Ivan hushed her with a rumble, “Don’t move, _dóchka._ ”

Her pupils flashed wide at the sensation of his mouth at her chin, licking at the trickle of blood. Darcy gulped in a breath, realizing she’d been holding it in the whole time, and wrenched her head away. “Stop!” She cried out.

He ignored her, placing hot open mouthed kisses down her neck. He pushed apart the remnants of her shirt and tugged it as far down her shoulders as her bound arms would allow. Her bra remained intact, a fact which only seemed to be a temporary hindrance. Vanko nipped and suckled at the pale flesh that swelled above the navy blue lace.

“I don’t understand,” Darcy forced out past clenched teeth, “Why are you doing this?”

“What’s there to understand?” He shrugged, “You are attractive woman.”

Darcy raised her gaze to the ceiling, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. _I am **not** going to cry_ , she swore.

“Yeah usually I get a few drinks or supper first b-before this.” She stuttered as his fingers flicked open the button on her jeans. It took a few swallows before she found her voice again, “What do you want?”

Ivan huffed his impatience at her attempts at distraction. He jerked her zipper down with a little more force than necessary. She bit back a cry.

“I want to hurt Stark where he is most vulnerable.” He told her with a cold smile. He forced his hand down the front of her jeans and Darcy didn’t have time to understand the meaning behind his words before one of his thick fingers forced its way inside her.

“Nnff!”  Darcy’s eyes widened with shock to feel his invasion. It had been one thing to suspect this outcome but . . . _oh god please no!_

He was muttering in Russian, one hand kneading her lace covered breast, the other buried to the knuckle in her tight passage. Darcy tried to buck him off with a whimper but only ended up granting him deeper access. He dug into her mercilessly, plunging his calloused finger into her soft depths, trying to coax a reaction from her. Meanwhile his thumb rubbed hard against her clit.

Darcy’s mouth and nose were filled with Vanko’s pungent scent. As she sobbed for breath, the smell of unwashed male sweat, machine oil, and _ozone, burning wires,_ overwhelmed her and twisted her stomach.

When he tried to claim her mouth it was much, _too much_. Darcy sunk her teeth into his full bottom lip.

The next moment she found herself staring at Vanko’s army boots, her jaw felt dislocated and her arm was pinned painfully between the chair and the floor. The tears streaming from her eyes were completely beyond her control.

He grabbed a handful of her dark curls and hauled her back upright. Darcy’s cry of pain cut off abruptly when he grabbed her by the chin. Vanko lowered his face to hers. His eyes were soulless pits of blackest hell.

“You will never bite again.”

Darcy felt her mouth fill with blood and swallowed reflexively.

He didn’t like how slow she took to respond, so he shook her. Hard.

“Never again!”

“Okay, okay! God!” Darcy hissed.

He then swung her around so that he was sitting in the chair and she was in his lap. When she realized what he’d done she was straining away from him like she’d been struck like lightning but he pulled her back down all too easily. With arms as thick around as her torso it wasn’t hard for him to keep her in place.

She closed her eyes tightly when he took up where he left off. 

She tried to hold herself upright, tried to keep from folding over into his chest in surrender as his hands worked on her. She was getting tired of fighting and to her humiliation her body was betraying her. His fingers were coaxing slick from between her spread thighs and while she knew, physically it was her body’s way of protecting itself, there was absolutely nothing about the situation that she found arousing.

The tightness in her belly was at once familiar and yet wrong. As his thumb continued to rub circles around her swollen aching nub, the tension that coiled within her began to cramp outwards in aching bursts.

Darcy made an involuntary noise as her body jolted. Vanko pulled her down onto his hips, rocking her on the evidence of his own arousal. She whimpered at the contact, tears streaking down her cheeks.

He thrust upwards a few times like he couldn’t help himself before clamping down on her. He gave a huff of amusement. “Good girl.”

The room spun once more as he dumped her back on the chair.

She hunched over, trying to make herself as small as possible. Her tangled hair swept over her shoulder and obscured her face.

Ivan had his back to her now anyway. He readjusted himself as he walked back over to his computer station.

The stage was set.

Now he just had to make the call.


	3. Chapter 3

They were running scenarios when Jarvis announced that Dr. Foster was demanding access to Tony’s lab.

“Oh _hell_ no!” was Tony’s knee-jerk reaction.

“Tony!” Steve reproved, “Dr. Foster is Ms. Lewis’s employer.”

“Technically they are both m—” Tony shut his mouth with an abrupt click at the look on Pepper’s face. _So not the point right now_ , he amended _._

“Anthony Edward Stark! You tell me right now what you’ve done with my intern!!” Jane’s shrill voice reached them through audio feedback.

_Thanks ever so much Jarvis. You tool._

There was a collective wince at the pitch of Jane’s shriek. Minus Natasha that is, she maintained her unflappable cool mask.

“What a pleasure, Dr. Foster,” Tony answered with false cheer, “This is your first visit to my lab amirite?”

“Cut the crap Tony!” Jane snarled like a rabid mongoose. She pounded on the inaccessible door. “Why is Jarvis saying Darcy is unavailable for the foreseeable future?!”

“Jarvis!” Pepper gasped.

“Remind me to streamline your interpersonal skills, Jarv.” Tony muttered unhappily at the AI.

“Cancel that. You don’t need to corrupt your systems with Tony’s special brand of bullshit, Jarvis.” Pepper countered with flashing eyes. “It only seems to work for him.”

Tony quirked his mouth and one shoulder as if saying, _true_.

“Jane?” Pepper turned her attention to the image of the frantic astrophysicist. “I’m going to let you in okay?”

Jane huffed and nodded in accent.

The doors to the lab slid open. The Avengers watched collectively in growing tension as Jane paced closer to the raised platform they were all standing on. As she reached the top, some instinct compelled most agents to back away in self-preservation. Only Natasha and Stark remained in the center of the dais, unmoved by her approach.

Tony noticed the retreat of the others and frowned, “What--?”

SMACK

Jane hauled off and slapped the cocky genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. To those watching, it seemed that she wielded more force than her diminutive form suggested.

Tasha’s lips actually twitched. With amusement or approval, or both, no one was sure.

“Ow!!” Tony complained, holding his smarting cheek. “What was that for?”

“I don’t know yet!” Jane huffed, her eyes brittle, “But it’s got you written all over it.”

 Tony couldn’t fault her for that one. He gave her a tight smile.

“Darcy’s been kidnapped.” 

It took a second for Jane to process his words. “What?” Her hand flew up to hover over her mouth. “Kidnapped? By who?”

“Short version? Ivan Vanko, a Russian engineer who’s supposed to be carbon but somehow not only managed to come back from the dead, but is in possession of evidence that proves Lewis is my daughter.”  Tony’s shoulders drooped.  “He wants me torn apart; humiliated and destroyed. I can only guess what he’s got planned for Ms. Lew—for Darcy. I’m…I’m sorry.”

Pepper placed a sympathetic arm around Jane’s shell-shocked shoulders.

“Darcy--?” Jane whispered in incomprehension. She looked around to the others and whatever she saw on their faces seemed to harden her resolve. “We need Thor.”

“I think we all agree with that,” Steve said supportively. “Can you get word to him?”

“Yes I--”

“Incoming video call with a blocked number, sir,” Jarvis interrupted.

Tony’s gut clenched as the grim sense of déjà vu swept over him. “Shit, Jarvis I don’t need to tell you, trace the mother fucker.” To the others he said, “Guys I need you to shut up, okay?”

He didn’t wait for their response; he drew himself to full height and waved the call through. “Vanko,” he said grimly.

“Hey Tony. Did you receive my package?” Ivan Vanko’s self-satisfied smirk filled the call-screen. There was a flash of gold as he casually chewed on a toothpick.

“Yeah, about that. She’s a real sweet intern, great with the quad grande caramel machiatto’s but not my progeny. I’d still like her back though, if it’s all the same.” Tony ignored the little squeak of outrage from Jane.  

Vanko gave that chilling chuckle of his. “Nice try. I have the file on Dr. Hansen. She was very careful not to mention child but her employer was very thorough.”

 _Extremis_. Tony glanced over the hologram to catch Bruce’s eye meaningfully.

“What do you want Vanko?” Tony said bluntly.

The Russian curled his lips. “You know what I want, Stark.”

“Lewis doesn’t have anything to do with this. She’s innocent.” Tony reasoned, “Let her go and you and I can do this the right way. This is between you and me.”

“Eh, eventually.” Vanko dismissed him. “Right now I’m content with getting familiar with famous Stark allure. Did you know she has your smart mouth, Stark?” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip.

With a shudder of revulsion, Tony saw the bite mark on display.

“She’s a fighter.” Vanko looked over his shoulder, “Isn’t that right _dóchka?_ ”

Lewis’s voice was faint but they heard her nonetheless, “Fuck you.”

Clint’s knuckles popping were like firecrackers going off in the deadly silent lab.

Natasha’s mask had wavered at the use of whatever Russian pet name Ivan used for Darcy. Steve leaned over, “What did he call her?” He asked quietly.

Natasha’s lips tightened before she answered, “Daughter.”

Tony was fighting for control. “Let me see her,” He demanded with a growl.

“No problem,” Ivan shrugged.

It looked like he pushed his chair to the side and suddenly they could see Darcy in the background. Tied to a chair.

“Mute!” Tony commanded Jarvis as all hell broke loose in the lab.

“Tony?!” Bruce bellowed, the tenor of his voice getting menacingly deeper.

“Code Green!” Tony reacted by shoving the good Doctor towards the containment chamber they kept in the lab in case of accidents. The locks engaged just as Bruce exploded into his angry green counterpart. The room vibrated as the Hulk roared his fury and pounded on the shatterproof glass.

When Tony turned around, it looked like Clint might need his own containment unit. Well too bad, he only had one. The archer was hunched over a table, his arms and back quivering with barely restrained violence. Steve had his back to the hologram image of their kidnapped intern, trying to collect his composure, his face haunted.

Pepper was helping Jane out of the room. When Tony met Peppers gaze, she shook her head at him with a helpless expression. It was too much for Jane. He wasn’t sorry they were leaving. He didn’t want Pepper, or Jane, to see this. Before Pepper disappeared, he mouthed, _Thor._ She nodded briefly to show she understood.

Before he turned back to Ivan’s knowing gaze, Tony closed his eyes.

_Fucking God of Hammers we need a miracle._

Taking the call off mute, Tony addressed Darcy, “Hey, Queen of i-Pods, you hanging in there?” He tried to keep the tremble of murder out of his voice and liked to think that he succeeded for the most part.

Darcy lifted her head and looked towards his voice. His jaw clenched as the move revealed the streak of blood on her neck, and the discoloration and swelling of her lip. It was hard to stay objective when his friend, _no… daughter_ , sat tied to a chair, half undressed.

She nodded slowly, “I’m alive.”

“Good. Kid we’re going to get you out of there,” He promised, trying to convey his sincerity.

She didn’t say anything back but she closed her eyes and nodded jerkily.

Clint butted into the field of vision, “Darce!”

Her eyes flew open.

“Darce just remember to shuffle!” Clint barked at her. “Okay? _Shuffle--_!!”

 _What the actual fuck, Barton?!_ Tony wanted to yell.

“This has all been very, amusing.” Vanko said, “But I have something I’ve been waiting patiently for. I want let you know that this video will remain streaming until I change mind. For now I must insist audio only on my end. Until later my friend.”

Jarvis announced when their end of audio was terminated.

“Okay, that’s good. That’s good right?” Tony babbled. He scanned the results that Jarvis had compiled so far, trying to triangulate Vanko’s hiding place. “If he leaves the signal open, we can find him, surely to gods.”

“The connection to Extremis,” Natasha brought up, “is there any way we can use that information to see if they are helping to hide him and Darcy?”

“Ohh no.” Steve’s horrified voice suddenly cut through their musings. “No he’s not--!”

Both Natasha and Stark whirled around to view the video feed. Clint made a low animal noise.

Ivan Vanko was lifting Darcy’s kicking, wriggling body over to the bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Graphic rape scene ahead

_Progeny?_ Her kidnapper was still going on about that? Darcy scorned. And who still uses words like progeny anyway? Well, Stark would put him in his place. So she was unprepared when ‘Ravishing Rick Rude’ dropped Dr. Hansen’s name.

 _Wh-what?_ The blow to her head must have affected her more than she thought. It felt like the world was spinning around her chair. Why would her kidnapper know about her mother? Darcy gave her head a little shake. It made no sense. She hadn’t heard from her so-called mother since she was what, _three?_

Tony seemed to respond to the name too. His lips tightened. His eyes . . . something about his eyes made Darcy feel unsettled. She barely responded to him when he addressed her, so distracted as she was by her confusion.

It was Clint that jarred her from her numb little haze. “Darce just remember to shuffle!” he’d barked at her. That weird statement was enough to get her neurons firing again, even though she made a WTF face at the computer monitor across the room. Like seriously, shuffle? What did he expect her to do exactly? Pinocle? Gin Rummy?

But her eyes were already flickering around the room for something, anything she could use against Vanko.  Her wrists were already chafed from straining against the restraints but she gritted her teeth and worked harder. There was only so much she could do without her hands. Her eyes came to rest on the switchblade he’d used earlier; it was next to the monitor. _Yeah, no go. Dammit._

Ivan turned and caught her looking at the knife. He smirked knowingly. Darcy began to sweat. _Shit, shit, shit!!!_

“Is my guest uncomfortable?” He crooned darkly, palming the focus of her attention.

“Yeah, I seem to have developed a case of Asshole complete with bat-shit crazy.” Darcy winced inwardly. There it was again. That filter she didn’t have.

He seemingly ignored her jibe. By the time he was standing on top of her she was so tense her teeth were practically chattering. He disappeared behind her chair, and by then she couldn’t decide which was more terrifying; seeing his tattooed menace or feeling it at her unprotected back.

It felt like he was sawing at the rope with the knife.

Darcy worried her lip. It was too much to hope that he was letting her go. His little speech to Tony kind of hinted otherwise. So what was he doing?

Her mind tried to make suggestions but it was like the thoughts scattered like oil on water. _Nope. No. Nuh-uh._

Nevertheless when her wrists came free, she surprised herself with how swiftly she shot to her feet.

Her taste of freedom was painfully short. It ended no farther than the end of Vanko’s outstretched arm as he reached out and clamped down on a fistful of Darcy’s tangled dark curls. She gave a short cry of frustration and tried to wrench herself free.

“You will only hurt yourself,” he tsked. With a jerk, he pulled her against his body. “If you behave I will reward you by keeping you untied.”

“Fuck you!” Darcy spat. She tried in vain to elbow him, stomp on his instep, anything she had learned in self-defense, but the Russian barely flinched.

He shrugged. “I have no preference.” He picked Darcy up in an effortless move that had her hysterically picturing herself spinning like a pizza over his head and made towards the bed.

“Hell no!” Darcy rained blows on his head and shoulders.

He dropped her on the mattress. From his height, the move stunned her long enough for him to rip the remainder of her turtleneck from her arms. She started to struggle as he pinned her wrists above her head. When he reached for his belt Darcy’s eyes widened and her mouth dried.

He saw her reaction and his lips twitched infinitesimally. He slowed the movement down, releasing the buckle deliberately, drawing the leather smoothly from the loops of his jeans. She grew paler at the sound.

Looping the belt around her wrists, Ivan tightened the leather until her porcelain skin looked pinched. Then he hooked the other end into a latch that he’d installed in the headboard for the occasion.

Her arms were taut with tension. He ran his fingers down the flesh appreciatively, skimming the undersides of her bra. Her full breasts were all but spilling out of the cups as the girl lay on her back, breathing shallowly.

“Don’t,” Darcy said.

He looked at her for a moment. There might have been a flicker of something in his eyes but it was gone before it was given life. “It is done. Stark will burn at my hand.”

“No.” Darcy’s whisper was ignored as Vanko pulled his sweater and tank top off. 

She felt faint at the sight of her kidnapper removing his clothes. His old-style tattoos and multitudes of raised scars only made his intimidating bulk that much more threatening. Her wide-eyes shot to his hands as they tugged at the buttons on her jeans. The faded indigo ink 1996 flashed back at her from his knuckles as they tugged at the fastenings. With a pop, her button tore loose and he began tugging the denim from her curvy hips.

Darcy looked up through a watery haze at the belt around her wrists. She arched her back, trying to loosen the leather enough to slip free. She froze when she heard an appreciative sound from Vanko and snapped her head back to look at the expression on his face.

She wished she hadn’t.

He was looking at her like she was the first meatball sandwich he’d seen since being stranded on a vegetarian island for decades.

Her stomach flipped and tried to curl itself somewhere in the vicinity of her ribs. Darcy found it hard to draw breath.

Without taking his eyes from her, he gave a final tug to her jeans and they were off her ankles and flung to the floor. She quivered under his hot gaze. Soon his hands were doing what his eyes had suggested, exploring every curve.

His hips settled between her knees. Darcy considered kicking at him some more but his gaze almost challenged her. She was almost sure it wouldn’t be worth it.

Some noise of protest escaped despite herself when Vanko leaned over on his forearms and pressed his mouth to hers. She almost choked on his hot, humid breath. He forced his tongue past her teeth and she tearfully endured the invasive searching sweep. He was aggressively pushing her mouth open wider while he literally sucked on her tongue. It made her feel like he was suffocating her. She couldn’t breathe! She pulled at her wrists and drew up her knees to try to buck him off.

While he had her preoccupied, Vanko had his hand between their bodies. He pushed down at the lace of her bra until his fingers found the tips of Darcy’s nipples and tweaked them.

Darcy tore her head free with a cry of protest.

He looked down to see the rosy peaks hardening in protest to his abuse. He licked his lips in desire.

“Stop it!” She begged him breathlessly. “Don’t do this!”

Vanko was rolling and kneading her breasts under his palms now, ignoring her pleas. She could feel the evidence to his arousal, pressing against the inside of her knee.

It was clear she wasn’t going to be rescued in time. Darcy swallowed the sob that rose up her throat at the admission. But she had to stay alive. Even if . . . even . . .

“What do you think Tony?” Vanko said out loud to the room. “Little too late to redeem Vanko family name, eh? But I think I feel a little better knowing last of Stark line will always remember way justice feels.”

Darcy was confused. _Who is he talking t--?_ She turned her head and saw the feed on the monitor was still running. How had she not noticed that before? She felt the blood rush out of her face at the realization that her . . . that this . . . was—

“No!” She cried out. She was barely aware that Vanko was undoing his jeans and pushing them aside. She wasn’t sure which was more horrifying; what was about to happen, or that her friends could be witness to the moment.

 Ivan spit into his hand and rubbed the moisture over the head of his cock. Darcy shuddered in revulsion and tried to shrink away as he reached for her hips. He grasped her in both hands and nudged the smooth head against her opening. She closed her eyes tightly and turned her head to the wall opposite the computer station.

He rocked against her a few times, crooning words in Russian. She flinched as he skimmed her passage a few times but chose to mockingly batter her clit instead.

Ivan wouldn’t allow her the privacy of looking away from his revenge. He forced her head back around to face the camera and spread his hand down on her skull to hold her still. Darcy bit her lip bloody, her eyes haunted.

“Now be a good little girl, _dóchka,_ ” Ivan instructed her with a spreading grin,

“and scream.”


	5. Chapter 5

(718) 542-7472(347) 584-0995(718) 563-5678(718) 509-1503(718) 559-4080(718) 530-5072(347) 329-1998(347) 672-1122(347) 680-7342(718) 509-6139(646) 296-8723(212) 562-4141

3:00pm - 7:00pm 5/17/2014

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NYS CAM: 05/17/2014 5:20 pm

NYC DOT SEM: 05/17/2014 5:21 pm

If the glorified home computing system could be considered self-aware perhaps he would have noted that he was currently in his element. JARVIS was using his superpowers as it were to scour New York proper for any signs of Ms. Lewis and/or the previously assumed deceased Ivan Antonovich Vanko.

As he’d been instructed upon Ms. Lewis’ abduction, the AI was still scanning for any digital signs of either identity. His programming encouraged him to anticipate Mr. Stark’s requests and at Ms. Romanov’s verbal cues he had taken the liberty of digging into any viable Extremis files.

It seemed that Vanko had indeed gone to lengths not to have his call traced but the simple fact that it remained an open connection seemed almost . . . like a challenge.

(347) 291-1959 (718) 300-4747 (646) 401-1027 (646) 372-3933 (646) 323-5217 (718) 584-9000 (718) 877-6553 (646) 633-2157

P.O.P: 20% Wind W 15 km/h Wind gust - Humidity 66%

JARVIS had used the video feed to hack into the camera to get a 180 degree view of the room Ivan Vanko was in. He was using the schematics to correlate with developers plans for the whole for Manhattan.  With the speed only a super computer could employ he rejected the hundreds of thousands of buildings that didn’t fit the specifications of the blueprints he now possessed.

If he were self-aware, the AI may have admitted having a personal investment in locating Ms. Lewis, beyond that of his creator’s express command. The oft-time perplexing young woman was the only person in the Avengers Tower that never failed to look for ‘him’ when she addressed him (or vice versa). In identifying JARVIS as another presence and not just as a disembodied voice, Ms. Lewis in effect, offered the AI his own sort of . . . humanity.

She also used pet names for him. Appallingly common, pop-culture spawned, fuzzy woodland creature kind of pet names.

Self-aware or not, JARVIS was adapting his programming so that he could respond in kind.

Making sure Ms. Lewis was returned safely to the fold so that he could have the opportunity to surprise her with such a human sentiment had the least priority at the moment; but it was squirreled away like a hidden gem.

The AI was also at a loss to respond to the increasingly worrying physiological signs he was receiving from Mr. Stark; elevated heart rate, shortness of breath, rapid eye movement, dilation of pupils. It was not unlike sir’s PTSD attacks prior to healing Ms. Potts’ and having his chest reactor removed.  

JARVIS kept his concerns silent only because Tony was in trusted company.

Although the AI was certain he had never heard _that_ particular tonal mix coming from sir before.

His efficiency rate spiked in response to that sound.

 

For a long horrifying moment everyone’s gaze was frozen on the holographic image of Ivan Vanko’s bed.

Natasha was the first to snap out of it. “Everyone out of the lab now. Go meet up with Thor on the roof or reconvene in the Common area until further notice.” (Well, everyone except for Bruce who was now passed out in the containment unit thanks to the aptly-named nite-nite gas they used on the Hulk)

No one argued with the assassin.

Tony was hunched over his desk. He barely even noticed they were now alone.

“It’s my fault.”

Her crimson lips tightened. “No, Stark. It’s not.”

His shoulders shook as he gave a bitter laugh.

“Vanko wants to destroy me in the worst possible way. How is him _raping_ Darcy not my fault?” Tony’s voice broke as he gestured at the live feed they could both barely acknowledge.

“I’m not going into this with you right now,” Nat levelled with him. “Because right now you are doing exactly what he wants. He wants you devastated and distracted. You’re not searching for them when you’re feeling sorry for yourself.”

“Jeezus Nat! Show a little compa--”

“Compassion?” Natasha cut him off contemptuously. “I’ll save my compassion for that woman on screen. The longer it takes us to find her the longer that _ublyudok_ has to damage her.”

At the word _damage_ , Tony’s eyes flickered to the hologram and he paled. “Where the fuck do we start?”

“We start by turning that shit off,” She said firmly. “Jarvis, will you . . .”

“Actually Ms. Romanov, Mr. Stark, I believe I may have narrowed down Ivan Vanko’s location.” The AI informed them.

A transformation overcame Tony. “What?”

JARVIS displayed the 3D scan of Vanko’s apartment.  “I searched the New York property database for anything that matched these specifications. I narrowed it down to two buildings, one in Harlem and one in Chelsea. The property in Chelsea was previously owned by one Aldrich Killian.”

With a flick of his fist, Mark 42 parts began flying towards a grim-faced Tony.

“I need the address, Jarvis.”

Natasha swore under her breath. He wasn’t going to wait for the rest of the team. “Tony--!” She said warningly. “It could be a trap!”

“Good thing I have backup!” Tony retorted before jetting away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, omigod I'm sorry. Second, don't read this if you can't take graphic non-con. Skip this chapter if you're trigger-y. Ask me about plot bunnies later if you have to.

_You go day by day_

_like nothing can go wrong._

_Those colors are made,_

_they're changing the game._

_You learn to play it hard._

_And I know you wish for more,_

_and I know you try._

_And I hope you realize,_

_you know the time is right._

_The whole world is watching when you rise._

_The whole world is beating for you right now._

_Your whole life is flashing before your eyes._

_It's all in this moment that changes all._

_Within Temptation – The Whole World is Watching_

 

The hand spread over her skull fell away but Darcy barely even noticed it. Her wavering cry had died away, leaving her shocked and without breath as Vanko’s heavy weight drove into her.

He stilled, the muscles in his arms jumping spastically as he struggled against the desire to pound her into oblivion. It had been far too long since he’d lain with one so full of youth and vitality. In fact he had three decades on this curvaceous mouthy little creature.   

His ass clenched as he tried to savor the way her pussy walls fought back, choking on his steroid-assisted size. The girl moaned, squirming in pain. Her noises only inflamed him further.  Vanko rocked into her with sputtering thrusts, coaxing her little cunt to accept his cock.

He could feel a trickle of sweat rolling down his spine. Filthy words of encouragement spilled from his lips.

“No, no, nonono--!” Darcy moaned, spilling her head from side to side.

Her heels were drumming a protest into his back. Vanko finally had enough and pushed her legs over her head so that nothing could distract him from his lust. He could feel her sheath rippling as he bore deeper. He groaned deeply as she squeezed his aching length.

With a final lunge he was all the way in.

Vanko ground his balls up against the girls flesh. If he bottomed out he could feel the head of his cock nudging the firm spongy wall of her cervix. Her cry of pain confirmed it.

Shaking, quivering with shock, Darcy could only stare past the fall of Vanko’s black and white hair. She could feel his shaft bruising her just below her navel. His lips were moving against her ear breathing thick and heavy.

She groaned and squirmed as he dragged himself out. Then, with a sudden violent change of pace, Vanko impaled her. He buried his nails in her creamy thighs, and drove his aching shaft harder, deeper.

“Ah, baby Stark. You are so hot around cock.” Vanko switched to English.

“Go to hell!” She sobbed.

He grasped her neck in his hand and tightened his fingers around the slender column. He applied pressure to her throat, squeezing the air from her lungs. Darcy bucked against him in panic. Her blue eyes glittered with fear.

After a particularly brutal thrust, Darcy’s mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Vanko could feel her throat spasm under his hand but he was busy trying not to erupt at the new sensation of her body unwillingly squirming underneath him. Her breasts had arched up against his chest, nipples briefly dragging against his oversensitive skin. Breath exploded from his lips as he fought for control. Sweat dripped from his face.

_Yebat' yego,_ Vanko thought to himself. He wasn’t going to be able to hold back much longer. The sweet tight heat of her pussy was melting his restraint.

Slamming into her so hard, her curvy body bounced and jiggled enticingly with each bone-jarring thrust, he felt his breath slow and deepen into pants. “Going to fill Stark pussy with my seed,” he gasped for air.

 

_Heavy boots of lead_

_fills his victims full of dread_

_Running as fast as they can_

 

Darcy tried to rouse herself from her oxygen starved haze.  _I’m sure I heard music_ . . .  She dragged heself back from the clouds, eyes sharpening as Vanko’s words sank in and she took in his unfocused gaze, “Noo--!!” Her strangled cry of panic echoed throughout the room.

His punishing rhythm stuttered. Vanko dropped her legs to the side and buried his dick as deep as he could before erupting into her burning core. His hand released Darcy’s neck and she quavered and gasped painfully as air slid into her lungs.

A groan rose from the depths of Vanko’s belly. He was still pulsing against her walls, his creamy effervescence overflowing and squeezing down her passage. His head bobbed as he reluctantly withdrew his sensitive length. Darcy tried to curl up but he splayed a hand on her stomach to keep her still. With the other hand he reached down and began to scoop his spendings back into her.

Large sobs began to wrack her frame.

When Vanko was content he had rubbed most of his seed back into the girl, he climbed up and cupped his half-hard penis before Darcy’s face. “Clean me off,” He demanded.

Her hesitation was all he needed to grab a handful of her long hair. “Open.” He growled. Without any options, Darcy licked her lips nervously and parted her lips. It was good enough for him. He grabbed her chin with his other hand and fed his already stirring dick into her hot mouth. She pulled at the belt reflexively as she gagged.

She had hoped he was finished with her. It was clearly wishful thinking. Darcy felt her mind pulling away from the horror once more.

 

_I got a bulletproof heart_

_You got a hollow-point smile_

_Me and your runaway scars_

_Got a photograph dream on the getaway mile_

A quick glance at the computer station and Vanko knew he had limited time.

Bumping his groin into her nose was doing the trick, he was hard again. With a hiss, he pulled out of her throat, knowing that he must have damaged her when her spittle was tinged in pink.  She made a raw sound as she drew in a breath. The sense in her eyes was flickering.

Grasping her by the hips, Vanko flipped the girl onto her stomach. He nudged her onto her knees and with his head tilted, took a moment to appreciate the view. She had a glorious ass. He reached out to grasp one cheek. She quivered with the contact and he enjoyed the way the movement made his dick jump. He slid the hand up the curve of her smooth back and gathered the hair off her neck, so that he could see the profile of her face. Long lashes swept her cheeks as she closed her eyes with a pained grimace. Her arms were still stretched above her head, leaving her full perky breasts to press tightly against the mattress.

Leaning back, Ivan took his cock in hand and rubbed the bulbous head along her slit. His leavings from earlier left a slick trail. Parting her delicious ass cheeks with his strong hands, he watched as he lined himself up with her weeping opening. This time he held nothing back when his hips snapped forward.

Darcy’s contorted face pressed into the sheets as pain ripped through her body once more.

The music grew louder.

 

             _Once I rose above the noise and confusion_

_Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion_

_I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high_

_Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man_

_Though my mind could think I still was a mad man_

_I hear the voices when I'm dreaming,_

_I can hear them say_

_Carry on my wayward son,_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

               

Vanko sneered as his computer system gave the alarm that he’d been waiting for. The drones would only be enough of a distraction to allow him a few more minutes with baby Stark. He reached over her head and unhooked his belt from the headboard. He dragged Darcy upright and braced her against his chest, looping her arms awkwardly over his head. If he had to admit to himself, he’d wished he’d thought of this position earlier. It made her arch her chest and freed his hands to wander.

His cock throbbed in appreciation and Vanko smoothed his hands over her torso, seeking out her perfect globes. He could feel her heart slamming into her chest wall as he rolled and then pinched her nipples hard. Her womb fluttered in response.

 The shlushing sound of his shaft churning her insides was music to his ears. He could feel his balls drawing up with lust. He wanted to release inside her but he needed to wait just a little bit longer.

“...se...” Darcy’s whimper caught him by surprise.

That was the first sign of life he’d seen from her in about twenty minutes. Vanko thought by now she’d gone catatonic. Delighted, his teeth seized her neck, marking her savagely with his pleasure.

“…please… st…” her plea was husky and raw.

His eyes shuttered as he bucked wildly into the mess between her thighs. He couldn’t hold . . .

The alarm went off again.

Vanko smiled into Darcy’s neck and let go.  He grunted in time with each gratifying spasm as he coated her with his cream once more.

It came as no surprise when the viewing window across the room shattered inward. With almost blasé casualness, Vanko reached back under a pillow as the familiar and hated sight of Iron Man’s gold and red armor blasted his way in.

“Thought you’d never get here.” Ivan taunted Tony.

The powered exoskeleton was frozen, predictably by the scene before him.   

“Let her go.” Stark commanded him.

“I want see your face.” Ivan returned cockily.

A second passed, but only that. The faceplate slid back to reveal Tony Stark’s feral gaze.

Vanko chuckled. Then he ran his tongue along Darcy’s bare shoulder. 

“You’re a dead man,” Stark snarled.  His arm snapped up, the repulsor light glowed with incandescent brightness . . .

“Tony, NO--!!” a voice shouted in warning . . .

Vanko pressed an injection gun to the back of Darcy’s neck.

He smiled a death’s head smile.

 

            _Only know you've been high when you're feeling low_

_Only hate the road when you’re missin' home_

_Only know you love her when you let her go_

_And you let her go_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so we finally get a hint of what that the Shuffle-y thing is, that Clint was babbling about. Still don't get it? Patience my pretties. 
> 
> The song bits are totally not mine obviously. Have a peek at Darcy's Shuffle here: http://8tracks.com/elenofthehedge/darcy-s-shuffle if you want a sneak peek at Darcy's mix. The ones I have in this chapter are Iron Man - Black Sabbath, Bulletproof Heart - My Chemical Romance, Carry on Wayward Son - Kansas, and Let her go - Passenger.


	7. Chapter 7

Several things happened at once.

“Tony, NO--!” Natasha shouted.

There was the metallic whirring sound of Steve’s shield cutting through the air before it ricocheted off the Mark 42’s firing arm, forcing Stark’s aim away from Vanko’s blatantly smug face. The repulsor ray incinerated a perfectly harmless chunk of plaster instead.

Simultaneously there was an almost inaudible **_snick_ ** as Vanko released the trigger of the injection gun on the base of Darcy’s neck. She made a breathless noise of shock and went rigid in his arms.

Vanko’s self-satisfied expression lasted fractions of a second before he found himself driven back by the sudden crushing impact of a bolo arrow to the neck. Clint’s shot knocked the bastard off of Darcy and sent him into la-la land. She collapsed bonelessly to the mattress.

“Lady Darcy!” Thor bellowed from the crater that used to be a window.

“What the fuck Steve?! I had him!” Tony snarled, whirling on the Captain.

“We need him alive, Stark--!”

“Back off!” Natasha snarled as Thor and Clint both rushed for the naked girl. They checked themselves immediately at the undisguised threat in her voice. Clint knew better than to rush an assault victim but found it hard to reconcile reality with the overwhelming urge to sweep in and check Darcy for himself.

He scowled as he redirected his steps to the unconscious figure on the floor. He notched and let fly two more arrows before anyone could stop him. Vanko’s filthy hands were now pinned to the floor.

“Was that absolutely necessary?” Natasha spoke over her shoulder as she hovered protectively over Darcy’s naked body.

Clint pressed his lips tightly together.

He could hear Nat’s eyes roll. “Undo the bolo Clint. We need him alive. Remember?”

His jaw twitched. He waited another moment or two before sullenly deactivating the arrow around Vanko’s throat.

“Darcy?” Natasha coaxed the unresponsive girl. “Darcy, can you hear me?”

There was no response. Just the sound of her hitching breath.

Nat looked around herself for something to cover the girls bruised and bleeding form. She noted and dismissed the bedding, it was too soiled to use. She addressed the archer again. “Clint. I need you to find me something to cover her with. Check the closets.”

_“Clint…?”_

Natasha’s head snapped down at the hoarse whisper. Darcy seemed to respond to Clint’s name. She signaled her partner to her side with a sharp motion.

“Darce?” Clint was by their side in a flash. He knelt down next to Darcy’s head.

With her faltering broken voice she tried to sing,

_“I can hear the whistle_

_Military train_

_I was dancing with my baby_

_In the summer rain—”_

Clint lost the war with keeping his eyes dry. He tried his best to join his voice to hers,

_“I can hear him singing_

_Ooh "Love Is Strange"_

_Come dance with me baby_

_In the summer rain.”_

Tony couldn’t keep quiet. “God. Did he--? Did she lose her--?” He couldn’t bring himself to say the words, _lose her mind_ , but the scene was decidedly unnerving. Guilt churned heavily in his guts.

Natasha shook her head.  “Linguistics cue recognition. Clint must have given it to her as a precaution at some point.”

Steve’s voice was disbelieving, “He gave Darcy post-hypnotic suggestion?!”

Nat’s eyes flashed. “That post-hypnotic suggestion may have just helped her through a traumatic violation. We can debate the political ramifications later. Right now she needs medical attention.”

She blinked as something red dropped into her field of vision. She looked up as Thor handed her his cape. “Thor--?”

“For my lightning-sister,” he said with a choked-up voice.

“Thank you.”

As she draped the silk weight fabric over Darcy’s form, the girl shivered as the weight of Natasha’s arm pressed across her shoulders. However as she took a breath, the scent that rose from the material seemed to revive her.

_“Lighting and thunder may appear_

_but you know I'm forever here--”_  

Darcy’s voice seemed to be getting weaker.

“That’s right, sweet sister. I am here.” Thor murmured.

Natasha pressed her fingers to the pulse point under Darcy’s ear, careful not to brush the torn skin from an obvious bite mark. “Someone check and see if Banner is conscious. We need him in the medical bay.”

“The hospital is--”

“Crawling with everyone who doesn’t need to know about Darcy taking one for the team,” Stark cut in bitterly.

Nat’s eyes rested on him only for a second, “Don’t do this Stark. She needs you to keep your shit together.”

Tony curled his hands into fists and didn’t respond. It was his _fault_.

Steve took his hand away from his earpiece, “Banner’s up,” He reported.

“Okay. Thor I need you to take Darcy back to the tower.” Natasha ordered him. She turned to Steve, “You and I will take Vanko.”  The super-soldiers lips curled in thinly-veiled contempt as he looked at the naked man on the floor.

Tony was looking around. “Where’s the injection gun? It might tell us what Drago here injected Darcy wi--”

Clint straightened up, he held out a rounded silver applicator that had nasty looking prongs on one end. Those prongs were covered in Darcy’s blood. The side of the device had the word, _Futurepharm_ , embossed on it.

Tony crashed down on one knee at the sight of it.

“Extremis…” He exhaled forcefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song bits: 'Summer Rain' by Belinda Carlisle (again) and 'Helene' by Roch Voisine


	8. Chapter 8

They returned to the tower in record time. Bruce was there to meet Thor and Darcy on the roof. The medical bay had been readied for them. The bots were on standby.

Bruce took one look at the broken woman in Thor’s arms and turned abruptly, his normally kind brown eyes, flashing green.  “We need to look at those injuries.” His tone brooked no argument.

“Friend Banner, how are you faring?”

Bruce’s shoulders were tight. “I’d be lying if I said that the Hulk doesn’t want to go at her kidnapper once we’re done.”

Thor rumbled his agreement.

Holding the door to the medical bay open for the demi-god and his charge, Bruce guided Thor over to the bed.  “Set her down there, please.”

Thor placed Darcy on the bed with such attentiveness it was clear he was reluctant to let her go. He murmured an endearment in her ear before pulling away.

Darcy was, for the most part, unresponsive. She was drifting in and out of unconsciousness.

“I need you to wait outside for now Thor,” Bruce said briskly.

Thor drew up to his full height. His blue eyes met Bruce’s brown unflinchingly. He nodded once. “Take care of her.”

As Thor closed the door behind himself and drew up next to the viewing window, the elevator at the end of the hall dinged, signaling the arrival of someone else. The doors slid open to show the figures of his beloved, and Ms. Potts.

“Thor!” Jane cried out in relief.

His arms enveloped her in a hug.

“Where is she, where’s Darcy?” Jane squirmed after only a moment, not to be deterred. She looked up at Thor’s clenched jaw. She noticed where his attention was drawn and her eyes zoned in on the form on the bed. Her breath left her in a harsh exhale.

She only had a brief glance of her best friend slash intern before Dum-E was drawing the curtain around the hospital bed.  Jane braced her arms on the viewing window ledge as her legs began to tremble. “Darcy--?”

“She’s with her kin now. Jane.” Thor’s voice reassured her. “All will be well.”

Neither one noticed Pepper in the background. She was looking at her Starkphone, at a message that was just delivered to her. She looked up and to the medical bay in horror. Her hand flew to her mouth before she visibly schooled herself.

“I—um. I need to go help Tony with something. Please call me if you need anything.”

 

“Bruce I need those samples,” Tony was overheard bugging the Physicist.

Pepper entered Tony’s lab slowly. It seemed she was getting there just as the others were returning from their own tasks.

“You’ll have them as soon as I do,” Bruce responded shortly.

“What are her injuries?”

“That’s confidential information, Tony. Not to mention of a sensitive nature.” Bruce argued.

“She’s my daughter!” Tony snapped, “Either you tell me or I’ll get JARVIS to scan her.”

Pepper could almost imagine Dr. Banner pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“Fine. May I remind you, _again_ , that I’m not the kind of Doctor who is qualified for this type of emergency.”

“I trust you. More than anyone we could find outside the tower.” Tony said soberly.

Bruce continued reluctantly, “I treated Darcy for shock. She has numerous abrasions, bruises and bite marks to the surface of her skin. She has a self-inflicted bite on her lip which I had to stitch. She’s suffered trauma to the throat so there’s swelling and bruising there. I—I haven’t completed the rape kit yet. That’s something I’ve never done before and to be honest Tony, I don’t want to hurt her any more than necessary.”

Pepper saw Natasha meet Clint’s eyes. Something was exchanged between the two and suddenly the redheaded assassin was stepping forward. “I can help with that Dr. Banner. I’ll be down in a second.”

“Thank you Natasha.”

When Natasha left to go help Bruce, Clint felt the weight of everyone’s attention switch to him. He shrugged. “Occupational hazard,” He said in a clipped voice.

“Jeezus.” Steve muttered.

Any other time, Tony would have been hysterical at the thought of Capsicle using foul language, even as vague as it was, but under the circumstances it only underscored how grave the situation was.

“The prisoner?” Tony made himself ask.

“Safe in lockdown,” Steve reported, his blue eyes going cold at the memory.

“Love the new straight jacket you designed,” Clint added, “just don’t ever use it on me. M’kay?”

He was referring to the Stark version of the traditional straight jacket for prisoners who couldn’t be trusted not to harm themselves or others. Tony’s design was more like a bland grey onesie that hermetically sealed you in and took away your freedom of movement. It even borrowed tech from Iron Man’s purification system. No pee breaks for Vanko.

“Sir, I have the lab report for Ms. Lewis.” JARVIS announced.

Tony whirled around, “Onscreen.”

His breath hissed out between his teeth as he scanned the results.

“Tony? You seeing this?” Bruce’s voice returned.

“Extremis, yeah.” Tony covered his eyes for a second. “I was hoping…” his voice died away. He cleared his throat and straightened up.

“Pep?”

She stepped forward. “What is it Tony?”

Her throat tightened at the lost look in his eyes as he lifted his gaze. “Is it okay if I share your file with the rest of the team? It might help us figure something out for Darcy.”

She reached for his hand with both of hers and gave it a squeeze. “Of course Tony! Anything to help.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Thank you,” He murmured against her hair.

“What does Ms. Potts have to do with this?” Steve enquired.

“What I’m about to share with you does not leave this room, got it?” Tony leveled a serious look at his team mates. “Or this tower, for those of you who are listening.”

Clint nodded sharply.

Steve agreed.

Pepper waited for Tony’s signal and then she rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. “This is what Extremis looks like.”

The men waited for a moment, staring dumbfounded at her pale limbs until they noticed twisting, curling, ember-like freckles begin to glow beneath her skin.

“But I thought he cured you!” Steve blurted, aghast.

“I cured the instability,” Tony corrected him. “Pepper is the first successful Extremis recipient.

Rolling her sleeves back down, Pepper added sternly, “And no one can ever know.”

 

Down in the lab, Natasha was finishing the last of the stitches.

“Thank you again, Natasha. I don’t know what I would have done without your help.” Bruce said awkwardly.

“You would have done just fine, Doc.” She replied. Trimming the end of the suture thread, Natasha began to clean up her area.

“Will she be okay?” Bruce asked cautiously.

“She will heal just fine.” She answered. “A tear in the posterior fourchette is common for this type of attack.”

“I don’t suppose you want to share why this is so _common_ to you.”

Natasha flashed him a smile but there was no amusement in the expression. “No.” She said clearly.

Bruce nodded thoughtfully. “Okay.”

“How are her other symptoms?” Natasha changed the subject.

“She’s stable. There’s no sign of rejecting the Extremis virus yet, so that’s encouraging.”

Natasha rearranged Darcy’s blankets, replacing the old cooling packs with new ones to help with the swelling and tucked her back in again. She bit her lip against using the Russian endearments that came so naturally. That _so_ wouldn’t go over well with the poor child right now.

“Okay Darcy, we’re going to leave you so you can get some rest. JARVIS and Dum-E are here with you. Just say something or press a button and someone will be here in a second. I’ll be back with Clint later.”

Natasha looked up at Bruce who nodded. “You’re safe now Darcy. We’re all here for you.” He added.

Darcy slept on in her numb little cocoon.

 

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song bit at the end 'Safe and Sound' by Taylor Swift/Civil War


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short but I'm trying to keep them coming in exchange.

The heavy cloud of sedation was beginning to wear off and Darcy could feel the burning fingers of pain begin to peel back the edges of consciousness. She wanted to pull away from the comprehension that followed but once her eyes fluttered open she found it impossible to close them again.

In part because she didn’t know where she was and the fear that gripped her sent her heart leaping painfully in her chest. She whipped her head from side to side trying to get her bearings but there wasn’t anything recognizable other than typical medical equipment that didn’t give any hint to where she might be.

_Where am I?_

Pain. Her throat was on fire. She couldn’t swallow. She tried to raise her hands to investigate and found that they were weighed down in tubes. Panic settled heavy in her chest and she tried to scramble to a sitting position.

There was a beep and suddenly Darcy felt heaviness in her limbs that indicated she had been administered a dose of something. That did nothing to ease her fear. Where was she? Where was . . . was . . . the . . .

_…flashing serpentine smile…_

_…blunt tipped fingers…_

Darcy’s eyes darted around the small space with dawning memory.

“Ms. Lewis you are in Avengers Tower,” JARVIS’s voice spoke up. “I have called for someone to attend you. They will be along presently.”

She whimpered.

“With your feet on the air and your head on the ground/Try this trick and spin it, yeah/Your head will collapse,” Darcy panted frantically. Her pupils were tiny pinpoints of darkness.

“But there's nothing in it/And you'll ask yourself/Where is my mind?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand the reference Ms. Lewis,” JARVIS said, managing to sound concerned.

“Animals were hiding behind the rocks/Except the little fish--!” Darcy’s abused voice cracked, panic was clearly taking over.

“It’s okay JARVIS, we’ve got this,” a female voice called out.

Natasha appeared, pushing back the curtains surrounding the bed. She spared Darcy a reassuring smile.

It was Clint that Darcy’s stricken gaze fixed on though. The archer had followed his partner, anxious to see Darcy’s condition for himself.

“Way out in the water/See it swimmin'!” She was in tears.

“Shh, kid, it’s okay. You’re safe now.” Clint hushed her. He sat on the edge of the bed and placed one of his big callused palms on Darcy’s cheek, mindful of her bruises. “I harpooned that sonofabitch fish. He’s not gonna hurt anyone now. Promise.”

Her eyes looked up at his searchingly. Clint felt his ribs ache as they expanded with raw emotion. Whatever she saw in his face must have convinced her because the tension bled out of her body and she slumped back into the mattress.

He didn’t like the pain that was clearly etched onto her face. “Nat?”

“On it.”

The pair worked in tandem to get Darcy settled comfortably. Her unsettled gaze followed them as if she didn’t believe they were there. Once they had rearranged her pillows and made sure her intravenous lines were unobstructed, Clint settled back down on the spot he had claimed earlier and Natasha stood by his shoulder.

“Darcy I just gave you a dose of Morphine to help with the pain. It will probably make you sleep some more,” Natasha told her gently, “but you could use the rest.”

Worrying her lip with her teeth, Darcy was startled by the sensation of stitches and let her lip go with a pop and a hitch of breath. Her eyes darted to Clint nervously.

“You have injuries Darce, but you’re gonna be fine.” He reassured her with a grin he hoped wasn’t sickly with unspoken truths.

Nat squeezed his shoulder, “You need to take her out of it.”

Clint grimaced. “Now?”

“Yes.” The assassin’s voice was firm. “She’s no longer under threat and her mind needs to heal naturally.”

“What are you doing--?” Bruce’s voice interrupted them.

“We have to cancel the Post-hypnotic suggestion that Clint gave Darcy,” Natasha said, unsurprised by the Doc’s approach.

“Yeah,” Bruce sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose, “that’s probably a good idea Clint.”

Clint’s lips tightened. He wasn’t looking forward to this but he knew it was unavoidable. He leaned forward, keeping his eyes on Darcy’s. “Hey Darce.” He kept his tone light but she picked up on the forced air. “Remember that playlist? Pretty fly for a white guy--?”

There was a second where she blinked at him. Then there was a shudder of breath, “Aw, Clint no,” Darcy whined.

His lips twitched.

Then she burst into tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> songs mentioned: Where is my mind - Suckerpunch Soundrack (Emily Browning & Yoav) & Pretty Fly (for a white guy) The Offspring  
> so totally not mine but awesome nonetheless


	10. Chapter 10

While Darcy slept, the team reconvened in the common room. Pepper managed to wrangle Tony away from his workstation with JARVIS’s promise to maintain scanning the molecular structure of Vanko’s Extremis prototype. Pepper caught Bruce, Clint and Natasha up on the conversation they missed earlier about her own Extremis fusion.

“So that’s good right?” Clint said around his hastily constructed sandwich.

Pepper smiled apologetically while Tony passed a hand over his face. “I can only tell you what I know from before.” He pointed out tiredly, “The virus either bonds with the host or it turns them into a spectacular incendiary.”

Jane gave a shocked cry. Pepper was not impressed.

“If it were the same virus as Peppers there would be a decent chance I could stabilize Darcy as well.” Tony shrugged. “Vanko made sure to change the formula.” His jaw clenched. “I have no idea what I’m dealing with right now.”

“Vanko’s an engineer,” Bruce realized with a sort of horror, “not a biochemist.”

“He Frankensteined a formula,” Tony confirmed grimly.

“Poor kid,” Steve murmured, looking world-weary.

“How is my shield-sister doing?” Thor asked Bruce.

Bruce gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “She was conscious for a brief time. Clint released her from the post-hypnotic suggestion so she may make a little more sense next time you see her.”

“But she may be a little more vulnerable,” Natasha thought to add, with a frown.

“How so?” Pepper asked.

“The post-hypnotic suggestion gave Darcy something familiar to think about, or if you will, for her mind to retreat behind while she was under attack.”

“So now she won’t have any choice but to think about it?” Jane huffed, unimpressed.

Clint scratched the back of his head, “I uh, may have had that in mind when I picked the subject matter.”

Jane looked at him pointedly as if to say, _continue_.

“She loves her iPod right? Any time she feels stressed, she can just plug herself in.” He explained. “It will act like a sedative, and it will still be a familiar habit.”

“How many others have you, ‘programmed’?” Steve asked Clint suspiciously.

Clint cleared his throat. “Just Darce—uh, Darcy.”

“Any particular reason why you singled out Ms. Lewis?” Tony asked as he casually chopped up a tomato for his BLT. A santoku knife never looked so threatening.

Clint’s lips twitched. He raised one shoulder. “She’s like a sister to me. And she appreciates my Lady Gaga obsession.”

“That’s . . . true.” Bruce pursed his lips. However his dark brown eyes betrayed a tell-tale twinkle. “However Ms. Lewis may not be too happy with you for doing something invasive like that without her permission—”

Clint’s shoulders dropped infinitesimally.

Tony inhaled his food and was twitching to get back to work. “Pep!” He whined, as she barred his way.

“We have one stop to make before you disappear back into your work,” Pepper said firmly.

“Speaking of work,” Natasha said softly. She gave Clint a deliberate eyebrow raise.

His face darkened. “Yeah.” He cracked his knuckles. Then his neck. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

 

“Uh,” Tony said intelligently. “I don’t think we should be in here.”

He fidgeted as Pepper gently but firmly steered him over to Darcy’s hospital bed.

“She’s asleep.” He pointed out helpfully.

Pepper refrained from sighing. “Tony. Sit down.  I’ll be back in five minutes.” She leaned close to his ear. “You may not have much more of an opportunity, if she turns out to be the _spectacular incendiary_ kind.”

To his credit, Tony winced.

He managed to sit still a whole five seconds before his nervous energy propelled him to his feet and sent him over to the monitoring instruments for a looksee.

“I don’t think Dr. Banner would like you touching his stuff,” a raw voice startled him.

He did _not_ jump, Tony decided. It was reflexes that made him spin around so quickly.

“Yeah?” He said in a remarkably calm voice, “Pretty sure all this ‘stuff’ has my name on it.”

“Just sayin’” Darcy made an approximation of a shrug. “Don’t go pissing off mean and green.”

Tony forced his gaze to her figure. She was pretty much swaddled in bandages. What he could see of her skin was swollen or bruised. It made his stomach churn sickeningly with guilt.

Her eyes though, they were blue and clear and cut right through him.

“So is it true?” She asked him.

“What?” Tony deflected hopefully.

“You’re my . . .” Darcy’s voice cut out.  Tony scowled, feeling like a heel. Her throat probably felt like fiberglass. He retrieved a cup of water and held it out to her like an apology.

“Yeah,” He answered simply.

She swallowed with a wince. He could tell she tried to hide her pain. Guilt ate at him like battery acid.

“Sorry,” he floundered. He didn’t know what else to say.

“Shut up.” She said wearily.

He floundered. _What?!_

“What?!” He stuttered.

“Not your fault, Stark.” She sighed.

“How do you figure?” He couldn’t hide the anger in his voice.

Darcy flinched.

 _Goddamnit! Get angry around the rape victim, Stark!_ He told himself off.

Tony covered his eyes. He sighed heavily. “We’re going to have to agree to disagree okay? But you know that I’m always right so you might as well just admit defeat right now and avoid the shame and social estrangement that inevitably follows.”

She rolled her eyes.

“So, uh,” Tony attempted, “did you know?”

“No,” Darcy said. She grimaced. It was probably an attempt at a smile, “I have no shame. I totally would have hit you up for a pony when I was six. And again when I was nine.”

Tony sat down on the chair. He wasn’t drunk, but he felt like he’d just sobered up. “I would have given you a pony.” He said absently.

She snorted.

It wasn’t a bad sound, he noted. It was a Darcy sound.

“You would have built me a pony. With rocket boosters.” She corrected him.

There was the tiniest hint of a smirk around his lips. “Nah,” he disagreed. “I wouldn’t have added the rocket boosters until you were at least nine.”

She nodded sagely. “Responsibility. Looks good on you.”

He grinned unrepentantly. “I know right?”

 _“Tony?”_ Peppers voice reached them.

He stiffened. His girlfriend’s voice was a reminder that he had important work to do. That time was ticking down and he could be losing the opportunity to save Darcy. He reached out and patted her closest hand.

“I’ll be back okay?” He promised her awkwardly.

Darcy nodded silently. She closed her eyes and lay back on the pillows as though she were tired.

If she saw Tony shoot a backwards glance at her she didn’t let on.

 _So that’s that huh?_ Darcy thought to herself with a tight throat. She kept her eyes shut against the persistent burn of tears. One mystery solved. Two brilliant parents, lost to _Science!_ It made sense; she was a savant with the espresso machine but not much else. Not exactly someone to be proud of.

She thought involuntarily of her grandparents and felt breathlessly homesick. Not much to go home to now. Grams was in the nursing home and Pop was three years gone.

Darcy tried to bury herself under the skimpy cotton sheet. She felt clumsy and uncoordinated, weighed down with bandages. She could feel every injury like her senses were heightened. It sucked. It served as a reminder of exactly what took place to put her in the medical bay.

The memories were there but scattered like a thousand skittish spiders when her mind hovered over a painful thought. Like how there was a particularly obvious bandage between her legs. Darcy let out a shuddering breath. The threatening tears finally spilled.

There was _no way_ she’d have a place here now. She was just a stupid intern who got herself attacked by a bad guy and had to get rescued by the whole Avengers team . . . a particular face floated across her brain and Darcy covered her face with a shudder. _That_ all American dream might as well be ashes in her mouth. Her little crush on Cap was never going to be realized. Not after this.  If she’d ever had a chance to begin with.

 _I’m so tired_.

Darcy sniffled. She pulled the sheet closer over her head, tucking her fists under her chin and tried as hard as she could to be silent as tears rolled down her cheeks.   


	11. Chapter 11

The hard, wet, _CRAK_ , of bone against bone echoed through the small room. Natasha watched expressionless as Clint drew back his fist, knuckles bloody, and repeated the question,      “Tell us about the formula.”

Vanko hawked a mouthful of blood to the side. “Nothing to tell you that you won’t find out for yourselves—” he maintained with a maddening bloody grin. “What? Stark not up to challenge?”

Clint didn’t waver in his stone cold persona, Nat was impressed. He raised his shoulders almost as an afterthought. “Could be, I haven’t checked in with him. I’m more interested in getting it from the source.”

Clint took a hold of one of Vanko’s bandaged hands and ground down right in the center with his thumb, right where he’d shot his arrow through. The Russian choked out a garbled cry of pain.

“You wanna help a fella out Ivan?” Clint said tilted his head, calculating.

“ _Ee-dee nah hooy!_ ” Vanko sneered.

“That’s a _no_ ,” Natasha translated loosely for Clint. 

“Yeah thanks for that. I think I’ve picked up a few choice phrases from you here and there,” Clint retorted, his voice thick with sarcasm.

Nat uncrossed her legs where she stood leaning against the wall. Even though Barton was handling this very well, it was her turn. Better now, then before her partner started showing how much Darcy’s kidnapping had cost him. That and she was itching to take a crack at Ivan herself anyway.

Vanko had other ideas.

“Which one of your hero’s was baby Stark’s boyfriend?” Vanko rolled his tongue over his teeth.

Holding himself still like only a sniper could, Clint said in a frighteningly quiet voice, “What?”

Natasha felt a fission of warning buzz up and down her spine. Her eyes narrowed.

Vanko gave them a gruesome smile, “I want to know to give condolences when girl’s belly grows round with fat _russki_ child--!”

His chuckle was eclipsed by Clint’s roar as the sniper’s control finally snapped. He threw a spear hand straight for Vanko’s throat.

Nat knew a killing blow when she saw one. She couldn’t let that happen. Within the space of a heartbeat she was across the room, grasping Clint’s wrist in her hand. With a twist that had her momentum behind it, Clint’s body spun like a corkscrew. She flung him away from Vanko in a show of strength that belied her slender frame.

She settled into a fighting stance, ready in case Clint wasn’t ready to give it up yet.

“—the fuck Romanov?” Barton snarled as he regained balance.

“I’m not giving Vanko what he wants so easily,” She said with a steady voice. She tried to will understanding through her gaze but Clint’s eyes were stormy with emotion and staring past her at Vanko with savage promise. She mentally rolled her eyes. _Men._

“Barton!” She snapped, letting some of her annoyance color her voice.

He reluctantly drew his gaze away to look at her. “What?” He clipped.

“He _wants_ to taunt us.” She reminded him. She ignored the chuckle at her back, reminding herself that the joke was on him. “Fact is, he’s screaming inside. This isn’t some detention facility he’s going to walk out of.” She turned around and tilted her head at Vanko, “Is it, _dorogaya moya_?” She said sweetly. “There’s no Hammer to bail you out. Stark’s not going to let anyone transfer you anywhere where that could happen again. Hell, I’m thinking Stark may not even tell anyone he has you.” She shrugged. “Less paperwork. He _hates_ paperwork.” She placed a hand flat on Vanko’s chest. “So you use your filthy words to try to get a rise from us. To end you. End your pathetic existence.”

Natasha quirked a smile and stood back. “Only that’s not going to happen.”

If Vanko’s gaze could do some of the dirty things he used his mouth to describe…

He knew the game was up. And he knew she could see it. His desperation would have made him a very dangerous man if he wasn’t currently helpless in Stark’s handy straight jacket suit.

She turned her back on him, showing him effectively that he didn’t pose any threat to her.   
“You’re going to be here for a very, very, long time. Ivan.”

Without another word, Natasha walked calmly and confidently to the only exit. She sensed Barton follow her with only a slight hesitation. Some very clear Russian expletives followed them out of the room but the door very effectively cut them off as it sealed behind them.

“I have to say it again, Tash. You’re goddamn scary.” Clint said with thinly veiled appreciation.

With the solid wall between them and Ivan Vanko, Natasha’s shoulders sagged a fraction. Clint’s sharp eyes didn’t miss the tell-tale body language. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re closer to Darcy than I am, Clint.” She turned into his body, grasping his forearms. She looked up searchingly, “Is she on birth control?”

Clint looked pole-axed. Then kicked in the puppies. “HowamI—whatdo—fu—”

Though she had bigger things to worry about, she took pity on him, “Clint I know you like her. You guys have hung out. Have you noticed if she takes birth control?” Her eyes narrowed into _no bullshit_ slits.

His jaw clenched. “No. I deliberately have **not** noticed.” His body stiffened, “Are you saying that Vanko could be telling the truth?! She could be--?!”

Nat cursed in Russian. “I couldn’t give her the ECP pill without her consent.”

Clint shuddered in horror. “Jesus.” He gripped her shoulders tightly.  For a moment they both considered how horrible it would be to approach the subject with Darcy. “C’mon. We have to do this _now_. It can’t wait.”

 

What neither of them had realized was that it was now past midnight in the tower. By the time they reached the medical bay and saw the dimmed lights their determined pace had slowed. When they saw Darcy’s sleeping figure, Clint muttered a curse under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“JARVIS? Let us know when Darcy wakes up please?” Natasha requested quietly.

“Of course, Ms. Romanov.” The AI responded.

She placed a supportive hand on Clint’s elbow but he still didn’t move from the viewing window for another moment.

“We have to make this right, Nat.” Clint exhaled heavily.

Nat’s lips tightened. Her eyes flickered to the occupied bed before leading her partner away.

 

In the early hours of morning, when the world was still blanketed in darkness, the sole medical bay that showed signs of life glowed from within; showing its single occupant like a fly in amber. The room was quiet only for the occasional beep of a monitor.

Darcy’s brow furrowed in her sleep. A little murmur of discomfort passed her lips before she stilled once more, falling back into the comforting rhythm of slumber. This occurred enough times that it began to take up some kind of pattern.

A slight sheen of sweat began to dampen her body from exertion. Darcy fisted the sheets at her sides as a particularly long wave of discomfort shook her from sleep. She blinked at the ceiling in a haze of disorientation and fear before she took in what had woken her. She caught a moan on her lips and struggled to a half-sitting position.

She felt hot like a fever. Darcy struggled to identify the strange feeling coursing through her body. But it didn’t feel like any kind of fever that she’d ever had before. This felt more like hot shards of glass were coursing through her veins, in waves of varying intensity.

“Ms. Lewis?” JARVIS spoke up. “Darcy? Shall I call someone for you?”

She missed the fact that AI had called her by her first name. She focused instead on his offer to call for help. “ _No!_ Uh, no Jarvis---!” Another unmistakable sound of pain escaped her and she cursed herself. She didn’t want any more _attention!_ “I’ll be okay. I just--!” Her eyes closed tightly as a hot wave passed over her and stole her breath.

Her body flopped back on the pillows. “Gah, _fuck_ what was that?!” She panted.

“I am uncertain. I have alerted Dr. Banner of your condition.” JARVIS answered, apologetically.

If she could have answered, she probably would have told him off for ratting on her. But as it was, Darcy was _thisclose_ to holding back a scream. When the pain ebbed, her tired eyes fluttered open to see something upsetting. She let out a strangled noise.

Her skin was glowing like a hot coal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


End file.
